A body lotion will help, but masks are often more effective because their exfoliators remove dead surface cells, allowing the mask's moisturizers to penetrate.

So why can't you just smear your favorite face mask on your body? "Face masks are milder, to protect the delicate skin there; your body needs concentrated, heavy-hitting ingredients," says Betsy Schmalz, executive vice president of creative and technical innovations at Bath & Body Works. Clay or mud masks are perfect for sloughing off scaly skin cells, but they're usually too drying for your face. The one downside: Unlike face masks, which you can wear while you sit on the couch and watch The West Wing, body masks can be inconveniently messy.

Try this: Apply the mask in your bathroom, leave it on for about 10 minutes (plan next summer's vacation or scrub the bathroom-tile grout while you wait), and then hop in the shower and rinse. After you've toweled off, you should see a bit of a glow.

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